Never Fully Dressed

Dog Eared Page: The Country of Marriage

noreply@blogger.com (Kristian) — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 14:30:00 +0000

Sometimes our life reminds me of a forest in which there is a graceful clearing and in that opening a house, an orchard and garden, comfortable shades, and flowers red and yellow in the sun, a pattern made in the light for the light to return to. The forest is mostly dark, its ways to be made anew day after day, the dark richer than the light and more blessed, provided we stay brave enough to keep going on.

- "The Country of Marriage" by Wendell Berry

In January, Why Don't You...

noreply@blogger.com (Kristian) — Wed, 03 Jan 2018 14:30:00 +0000

Put up a new calendar
Start a Bullet Journal
Pay off your library fines
Watch the Rose Bowl Parade
Plan your baby's first birthday party (where did the time go?)
Buy balloons

Ellis at 11 months

noreply@blogger.com (Kristian) — Wed, 27 Dec 2017 14:30:00 +0000

TEMPERAMENT

Hugs, hugs, hugs- for Mommy and Daddy, that is. Ellis went through another phase of shyness, which resulted in being A LOT more affectionate with us. He'd been too busy checking out the world right from day one to want to snuggle much, even as a young baby (he had to be propped upo n our shoulders so he could see, rather than snuggled). That has changed. He loves giving hugs and getting kisses on his cheeks with us.

But he does get clingy. Even going to grandparents' arms has now become a bit iffy. He'll instead put his head down on our chests and cuddle in closer if he senses we might hand him off! To be fair, the poor boy had a cold. Nothing like May, when the entire household got a variety of strange, rare and truly horrible illnesses. Jut a cold, but oh, that it still pulls at your heart with his poor runny nose and a fever. He's a trooper though and pulled through- Mommy did to, despite one white night where neither slept. His clinginess has predictably become less pronounced now that he's feeling himself again.

MILESTONES

Can we start with a silly but utterly adorable "milestone?" Someone's got some curls in his hair (which I've been combing into a part and he looks hilariously like my dad did as a baby, but now.... little curls flip up on occasion.)

Okay, okay here's an update on the REAL milestones! We are mobile, baby! Or rather we have a mobile baby. Ellis is crawling on all fours, complete with rug burns on his knees! It definitely is still a cordination challenge, so he's not quite zooming about the house, but he's moved from only crawling when motivated with keys or other shiny prizes to, on occasion, taking off to explore or find Mommy. A baby gate has now been installed and inspected by both dogs and baby (Ellis thought bumping his head against the metal gate was the best method to investigate by. Then he was confused when he tried the same thing on our wood front door and it hurt!). That's not the only gross motor skill happening 'round these parts. Ellis LOVES standing. He can't quite pull himself up yet, but loves, love, loves to stand at coffee table or with his activity cube and play. He'll stand for a good 30 minutes straight before getting tired too. Sadly, he hasn't figured out sitting down, so he just kind of falls back- TIMBER!- like a tree. So we try to watch out for that! Unsurprisingly, Ellis is always surprised that methods hurts.

As for his language development, everything is "Dada." He can babble a lot of sounds, of course, but that seems to be his word of choice. For everything. For anything. For Dada, for the dog, for Mama, for that toy and that toy and.... My parents swear he's said "popop" or possibly "pa" to reference his grandpa and he's said "baba" on occasion when near his bottle. But really, it's a Dada world for now.

LIKES

Maybe it is just the added mobility, but we've been seeing a lot more agency from our little man this month. He can get to things he wants, and doesn't shy away from making his preferences known. He loves playing with his activity cube, mostly pushing balls down a ball run. He also loves being Just Like Daddy. He know has his own "credit card" (an old plastic card, like the ones that come in the mail. Not a real credit card, obviously!) we give him to play with in store lines. He also has an old Remote control. Nothing is as motivating as that remote is.

December brought the holiday season, and its been delightful getting to see this time of year through new eyes. Truthfully, Ellis doesn't "get" what Christmas is. However, he LOVES our Christmas tree. We've incorporated it into our nightly routine and say goodnight to it. The lit-up smile he gets everytime he sees it sparkling is magical. Likewise, he enjoys watching the model train we set up under the tree. He's pretty good about not touching it too, though he loves playing with the extra train tracks and any cars that aren't hooked up to the engine. Jingle bells have also been a big hit; Santa was decidedly not a hit. We were a little surprised since Ellis has always enjoyed men with beards (especially white beards like Grandpa's!), but a stranger in a strange outfit holding him was not on the list of Ellis' favorite experiences. Oddly though, he finds me saying "Hohoho!" (from a Christmas book) hilarious.

EATING

Ellis went off of eating solids this month. Not interested at all- well, he's interested in flinging it off his spoon and onto the walls but that doesn't count. This is normal for babies with colds, sometimes, according what I've read. That same research also pointed out that Ellis also likely isn't as hungry as before because he's not growing as much. Eh, we keep trying and I keep reminding myself that babies do things at their pace, not mine.

SLEEP

We had a white night or two when in the throes of the cold, and, man, did it remind me how much I love that Ellis is a good sleeper, mostly. I look at these wee, new babies and am confused by how Ellis could be so big. But, really, each stage is so nice and, not gonna lie. Sleep is one of the best parts of a growing boy.

MAMA

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, or so the songs say, but when I was working, things could feel rushed or overlooked. I've sometimes struggled with being a stay at home mom, but the best part of it all is that I have time with my boy, and I really wanted to make the most of it. So, I made an Advent Calendar of activities to do with our little sugarplum. Its was tricky to find things that would be fun without out over stimulating either Ellis or me. In the end, we did most of the activities, but not all. Some were hits; some were not (see the original post, along with updates on what worked and what didn't). But what I learned is a little planning and intentionality really helped enrich our days. Many of these things strengthened my relationships with others and making a point to do things with people, something I struggle with, ended up being so rewarding that I made other plans beyond those on the calendar. The best was finally going back to my hometown and letting Ellis meet people, such as the woman who babysat me when I was his age! We also found a second library with even more baby books, and some other baby-friendly places to enjoy on gloomy winter days.

Ellis at 10 months

noreply@blogger.com (Kristian) — Sun, 24 Dec 2017 02:42:00 +0000

TEMPERAMENT

More of the same- more himself everyday. More understanding of his sense of humor, of his love, of his reserve and independence.

MILESTONES

It's been milestone city here this past month! We got Three- count'em! THREE!- teeth! Ellis has both of his two top teeth and one bottom one that is barely above the gum. He looks like the world's most adorable bunny when he smiles. He has also graduated to crawling....er, sort of. He still likes to get up on his hands and knees and sway, but still hasn't figured out forward motion for that yet. He can army-crawl through, if needed. It is pretty cute, but rolling is still his main mode of transportation. His other big gross motor skill breakthrough this month has been clapping.

LIKES

The big motivator that got this little man to start any sort of crawling was to dangle some keys in front of him. Ellis becomes very highly motivated if keys are in the offing. He likes toys a lot now too- he's gotten very proficient at the type of stacking blocks where the boxes can go inside one another. He loves to pull one box out of another. He also enjoys playing with a toy abacus and clock at Grandma and Grandpa's house. He's basically into anything and everything.

The best part of any day though, hands down, has to be when he can get into his walker. He loves the independence and investigating all over Grandma and Grandpa's house. He likes to follow the dogs around and to play chase with any adult. He's also opened cabinet drawers and will stand in his walker in front of their pantry trying to figure out how to open the door and see what's in there.

As I try to sit back and think of what are the moments I hope to remember from years on, there are several things that he has loved for many months now and that he still loves today. He now loves baths; he loves playing patty-cake, and he gets a big kick out of Daddy playing peek-a-boo (others are okay at it, but not as good as Daddy).

EATING

One growth spurt later and solids have become infinitely more important nowadays. He still eats a lot of baby food (mostly fruit-based. He doesn't like the meat or veggie ones much), but also love to gum on bread and eat Arrowroot cookies. He still wants regular bottles too, but the big change there is that he is feeding himself. He's technically been able to hold the bottle for several months, but now he wants to do it himself all the time. He'll also throw his head backwards in the most dramatic fashion possible as he drinks his bottle, so that gravity helps him eat that much faster! Its messy, but I hear independence often is.

Dog-Eared Page: Gift of the Magi

noreply@blogger.com (Kristian) — Fri, 08 Dec 2017 14:30:00 +0000

The magi, as you know, were wise men--wonderfully wise men--who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents. Being wise, their gifts were no doubt wise ones, possibly bearing the privilege of exchange in case of duplication. And here I have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house. But in a last word to the wise of these days let it be said that of all who give gifts these two were the wisest. O all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest. Everywhere they are wisest. They are the magi.

- Gift of the Magi by O. Henry

Motherhood: Baby's First Advent

noreply@blogger.com (Kristian) — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 17:25:00 +0000

Okay, okay. I know Ellis is only 10 months old (his monthly update is coming soon!), and he won't remember any of this. But I will and he will enjoy the moments as they happen, so doesn't it sound fun to have a Advent calendar to celebrate the entire season? Of course, as much as I love those little chocolates.... activities sound even better. Activities that were baby-geared were a little harder to come up with, especially since he's already met Santa at a craft fair (it went swimmingly, as you can see). There's always a lot going on in December, but I also wanted a mix of more low-key activities because he can get overwhelmed in crowds. What do you do to celebrate the season with your family?

1) Read Christmas books (See my picks here, here, here and here)
2) Get a tree (We are thinking a smaller one, on a stand, out of reach of baby hands.)
3) Decorate tree
4) Mom wrap presents while baby practices unwrapping presents
5) "Help" make cookies with grandma
6) Give cookies to our moms' group babysitters
7) Nativity Scene sensory box
8) Play the "Stocking Game" where you put items in the stocking for the baby to fish out
9) Make a footprint ornament for your own tree and grandparents' trees
10) Set up a toy train around the tree (aaaaaand likely take it back down when done playing because- baby hands.)
11) Play with "Snow" Dough
12) Give cookies to children librarians and check out christmas books (Yes, new and soon-to-be moms! Your library likely has board books you can check out!)
13) Make and eat St. Lucia Buns
14) Get a Christmas-themed Balloon (This works for even very young babies. See here)
15) Visit Grandma at work and say "hi" to the nursing home residents
16) shop for Toys for Tots
17) take a baby photo with a Santa Hat and tree
18)Play with Jingle Bells
19) Sledding at Grandma's house
20)Visit Daddy at Work (bring some treats!)
21) No-Mess painting with red and green paint
22) Play with Lights in a Jar
23) Look at Christmas Lights with the family
24) Christmas Eve with the family!
25) Christmas Day!

Some alternative ideas for other moms to consider would be dying some cooked pasta noodles red and green for an exploratory bin, or making a "photo tree."

ETA: What we actually did; what worked; and what didn't:
1) Read Christmas books - loved 'em and reread Every. Single. Day.
2) Get a tree - We got a fake tree since we didn't want to mess with sap and baby hands.
3) NONE (We attempted to decorate but unsure how to do it with a baby.)
4) Mom wrap presents while baby practices unwrapping presents Amusing to do, and good for parents to see how long it takes baby to unwrap things. Not an activity to do over and over though.
5) "Help" make cookies with grandma- Ellis mostly zoomed about in his walker while we made cookies, but it was fun to have a project with my mom and we made cookies for so many people. I loved being able to hand them out.
6) Give cookies to our moms' group babysitters- Group one that got cookies.
7) Visit Grandma at work and say "hi" to the nursing home residents- This is my mother-in-law. She got cookies too.
8) Give cookies to children librarians - They also got cookies, plus a plate for my husband to take to work. It was especially nice to give these because it was unexpected and appreciated!
9) Decorate tree - A week later, but it was fun. Amos held Ellis mostly, but he put up a few and I got the idea for what type of jingle bells he could play with.
10) Set up a toy train around the tree - Next year, I would set it up myself, as it was a pain to do. BUT He loved to watch the train several times a day. I drew houses on the wrapping paper to make a "city."
11) Play with "Snow" Dough- I was excited for this and it was disappointing. Not sure if it was teh recipe or if he's just not into play dough.
12) Play the "Stocking Game" - He loved it the first time. Tried to play it a few days later and he was over it. Might be his age and a younger baby would be more into it.
13) NONE
14) take a baby photo ~~with a Santa Hat~~ and tree. I took it with the toy train instead. Ellis hates hats.
15) Make a footprint ornament for your own tree and grandparents' trees- They are made. Not as good looking as hoped for but....
16) Get a Christmas-themed Balloon Surprisingly hard to find one, but he loved it.
17) Play with Jingle Bells We used these big, single bells and he loved chasing them across the floor.
18) Shopped for for ~~Toys for Tots~~ a Local Bookstore's Book Bank. Nowhere did Toys for Tots, so we had to hunt around for alternatives. However, the importance of books at home can't be underestimated so it worked out.
19) No-Mess painting with red and green paint I tried this when he was 5 months and 7 months old too. He's just not that into it. Your mileage may vary.
20)Visit Daddy at Work Daddy loved it. Ellis put up with it. It's nice to make someone's day.
21) NONE-
22) NONE
23) NONE (Attempted to see Family, but bad roads)
24) Christmas Eve with the family!
25) Christmas Day!

We didn't get to: go sledding at Grandma's house. First there was no snow, then too-wet snow and then I realized we lacked a good set of warm enough baby pants.No Lights in a jar either- too much extra stuff to buy. Also, this might be fun to do for a younger baby, but with the developments Ellis had this month, I suspect it would have been boring for him. We forgot to make St. Lucia buns; Ellis had the worst of his cold on the 13th. Also, no Nativity Scene sensory box. I really wanted something connected to the Christmas story, but had trouble finding big enough wooden people/parts that weren't choking hazards. Next year, I'm going to try this, if there's time!

In December, Why Don't You....

noreply@blogger.com (Kristian) — Fri, 01 Dec 2017 14:30:00 +0000

Learn to make a stew

Create a gingerbread house

Sing Christmas Carols

String a popcorn garland

Go on the Polar Express

Buy gloves in an unexpected color

Try ice fishing

Warm yourself by a fire

Visit Santa

Set up a train under the tree

Dog-Eared Page: Watership Down

noreply@blogger.com (Kristian) — Fri, 10 Nov 2017 14:30:00 +0000

Altouth leaves remained on beeches and the sunshine was warm, there was a sense of growing emptiness over the wide space of the down. The flowers were sparser. Here and there a yellow tormentil showed in the grass, a late harebell or a few shreds of purple bloom on a brown, crisping tuft of self-heal. But most of the plants still to be seen were in seed. Along the edge of the wood a sheet of wild clematis showed like a patch of smoke, all its sweet-smelling flowers turned to old man's beard...The fields below the hill were all cleared. One had already been plowed and the polished edges of the furrows caught the light with a dull glint, conspicuous from the ridge above. The sky, too, was void, with a thin clarity like that of water. In July the still blue, thick as cream, had seemed close above the green trees, but now the blue was high and rare, the sun slipped sooner to the west and, once there, foretold a touch of frost, sinking slow and big and drowsy, crimson as the rose hips that covered the briar. As the wind freshened from the south, the red and yellow beech leaves rasped together with a brittle sound, harder than the fluid rustle of earlier days. It was a time of quiet departures, of sifting away of all that was not staunch against winter.

Motherhood Musing: 10 ways to soothe a colicky baby

noreply@blogger.com (Kristian) — Mon, 06 Nov 2017 14:30:00 +0000

Ellis is now a healthy, happy, growing baby boy (growing every minute is seems! How is it he's so big?!), but the first few months of his life, it didn't feel that way. Our boy was the kind books labelled "High Maintenance" or "Sensitive" and he was oh, so collicky. Good news: If this is you and your baby- they do, in fact, grow out of it. It may not seem like it and an answer that is a few days, weeks or months away doesn't help that much but- know there is an end. In the meantime, here's a list of what worked for us and colic. Good luck!

1) Hot Shower- No, the baby isn't taking a shower. Put the baby in the bathroom with a hot shower running. The sound is reassuringly similar to the sounds inside the body. Plus, the steam can be both a distraction and/or help ease breathing.

2) Car Ride- This is a cliche for a reason and we have had our share of midnight drives here (and 10 am drives and 5 pm drives and-). The movement of the car can soothe a baby to sleep. Ours also likes looking out the window.

3) Favorite Music- We may have inadvertently trained Ellis to fall asleep to his favorite song ("In my Life") for a while there. But it was soothing to him and helped him transition to sleep.

4) Swaddle- Our son hates being swaddled- initially. He dislikes having his arms bound. If your kid is like this, you can try a one armed swaddle or leave both arms out, but I like the arms tucked into the swaddle so that he can't startle himself awake. The swaddle feels snug and warm- like it was inside mom.

5) Rocking- It is a comforting motion. It is also a plus for parents as rockers provide good back support.

6) White Noise- A lot of baby toys have nature sounds, but good ol' White Noise is what works best for us. It sounds a little like static, though the experts suggest having a deeper, lower tone under the static sound too. 747 by White Noise is best track we've found (and yes, it is the sounds of a 747 jet). The white noise once again sounds similar to the sounds of being in the uterus, but also help mask noises around the house that could wake the baby.

7) Shushing- This is one of the "5 S's" the book Happiest Baby on the Block suggests to calm newborns. You are making a shushing sound. Ironically, sometimes one must be quite loud and/or near the baby's ear. This only works if the baby can hear it, which can be hard if the baby is screaming. The idea is the sound is once again similar to being in the womb.

8) Scarves- Use a ladies silky scarf (or try a tissue) and brush it downward over the baby's face several times in a row. The gentle, tickling sensation usually distracts babies.

9) Unexpected Positions- Our baby might stop crying if suddenly lifted into the air, or moved up or down. Holding them while swaying side to side quickly can also work. It shifts their focus away from crying to something else.

10) Swing- My parents bought us a swing and it was been such a game changer! The secret is that it has a wide range of motion. Many baby products rock, but we found that isn't really enough motion. A swing provides more motion, and allows the baby to be high enough to see more than he would on the floor. Both are entertaining and soothing.

In November, Why Don' t You

noreply@blogger.com (Kristian) — Wed, 01 Nov 2017 13:30:00 +0000

Support finding a cure and donate to The American Association of Diabetes

Make twice baked potatoes

Spend an hour reading in the tub

Watch the Macy's Parade

Reorganize your pantry

Get a family portrait taken

Stock up on wrapping paper (if its solid colors, you can use it all year round!)

Walk through a neighborhood you haven’t been before

Participate in National Novel Writing Month

Start your day with a stretching routine

October in Review

noreply@blogger.com (Kristian) — Mon, 30 Oct 2017 13:30:00 +0000

Happy Halloween

It's been quiet around the blog, which of course means, life's been full on the other side of the screen. We've been enjoying life with a nine month old which, to be a cliche, really embodies the adage, "The days are long but the years are short." You can see more about that here. For a little taste of Halloween, check out the Dog Eared Page and a Why Don't You... list. For more fun things to check out, see the links below!
Halloween Links

The best thing I read online all month: The Secret to a Happy Marriage (NYT)

Even more fascinating than it sounds: How people walked in the Middle Ages

Let's all go visit thing most amazing house

Teens are putting off drinking.... but some think this isn't a good thing? Tell me what you think! (Washington Post)

The Velcro Brand made this (and is completely serious about it.)

Y'all know I'm a huge Wizard of Oz fan, so how could I pass this up?

It's okay to want to be noticed.

I was talking to a friend about how hard making new adult friendships are. So this might help you in that regard too.

Alzheimer's drugs make teeth grow back

Substitute the name Ramona for Ellis and Dog for Cat and.... this pretty much sums up my life.

Ellis at Nine Months

noreply@blogger.com (Kristian) — Mon, 23 Oct 2017 13:30:00 +0000

TEMPERAMENT

I was remarking to someone the other day how odd it was that people kept calling Ellis "serious," because he does like to laugh now and does smile. Imagine my surprise to find out that most babies are just smiling and giggling all the time. We do have to work at it a bit more- but his laugh is such a sweet reward. And he is serious, I know. He is watching everything and everyone, figuring the world out. He can be enjoying the heck out of things and still have a serious little facial expression. My mom says I was just the same, so there's that.

He can get overstimulated by too much of a crowd, which can make the Farmer's Market and even some family gatherings tricky. He's learning to handle it, but it felt like a light bulb to recognize where he's at, because we can all need different levels of stimulus.

MILESTONES

Ellis understands quite a bit of cause and effect, which is fun to see. It changes how he interacts with the world. Before things seemed to happen at random to him, and now he sees the connections between things. Pulling a switch turns on a light. Certain actions or commands gets the dogs to do thing things, or our Amazon Alexa to respond. (By the by, not sure if I've mentioned this before, but we love having an a Amazon Alexa in the nursery. And Ellis totally knows its name and where it is in the room. He looks at it whenever we give a command to see if she responds correctly!)

We are also on the verge of having a mover and groover on our hands. Ellis is pretty proficient at rolling over now, and can also get on his hands and knees, though he hasn't figured out crawling just yet. Instead he sways forward and backward, like he wants that momentum of movement but hasn't figured out the mechanics of it. If I leave him on the floor to go do a chore in another room, I often return to find him in a different part of the room- behind the chair or in a corner where it is obvious he got himself to and found himself stuck in a "dead end." He always wants to go forward, but he's mostly moving at random because he's either rolling over and over to move positions or, when trying to crawl forward, is inadvertently pushing himself back. Not sure if I should be excited about his movements or worried I'll never get anything done around the house again!

He does have a walker he uses at Grandma and Grandpa's, and he's getting quite proficient at rolling around their house. He mostly moves by jumping or bouncing and that movement propels the walker forward. What is most impressive there is how good he is at turning, and backing out of dead ends.

LIKES

Old favorites he still loves dearly: puppies, Grandpa, Daddy, and teddy bears. He also loves his stacking block rocket toy and I can leave him to play with that for a good fifteen minutes and he stays occupied. Imagine fifteen whole minutes in which I can get ready in the morning. Its bliss, basically. Current favorite books are: Anything by Sandra Boyton, but especially Pajama Time and Hey! Wake Up! as well as Jamberry and, surprisingly, The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse. He has a ton of books, but we read these favorite titles several times a day. He'll knock over other books to get to these ones!

New Loves: Pulling the cord to switch on and off the overhead light in our living room, and a fascination with my electric toothbrush. He liked to "help" hold it while I sit in front of him and brush. I guess that will come in handy with all the new teeth that may, one day, eventually (any day now? Please? PLEASE?) come in.

EATING

Mostly the same here. He gets a bottle about every four hours till bed and pureed food around 8:30 and 5:00. He's still not into solids around lunch, but, as the inestimable Katherine Tate would say, "I ain't bovvered." Pureed food is for introducing new tastes and learning swallowing and chewing. His nutrition is still mostly from the bottle. Plus, as everyone is always telling me, he looks very healthy with his little baby fat rolls. I use Gerber's baby food, mostly, and always from a bowl with a spoon. It seems like that will help to learn more about eating, chewing and swallowing etc. He's a really good eater, if he's not teething. If he's teething, I bring two spoons and give one to him. He plays with it while I use the other to feed him. Truthfully though, if he's teething, he is definitely less interested in both the bottle and in pureed food.

We have introduced him- in very limited quantities- to some "real people" foods this month. Mostly, he has had things that are hard that he can gum. In addition to the Rice Rusks, we've given him crusty bread and celery sticks.

SLEEP

Nothing too new here. Still two or three naps a day (depending on if he's teething mostly, as to how much sleep he gets). Sometimes he sleeps through the nights and others he's up a ton. Once again, mostly depending on teething. I've found over and over again, that for us, routines and rituals really help the most. He rarely cries on going down, unless the teething. Sleep- when it's good, it is very, very good and when it is bad, it is horrid.

Dog Eared Page: Frankenstein

noreply@blogger.com (Kristian) — Fri, 13 Oct 2017 13:30:00 +0000

Accursed creator! Why did you form a monster so hideous that even you turned from me in disgust? God, in pity, made man beautiful and alluring, after his own image; but my form is a filthy type of yours, more horrid even from the very resemblance. Satan had his companions, fellow devils, to admire and encourage him, but I am solitary and abhorred.

- Frankenstein; Or The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley

In October, Why Don't You...

noreply@blogger.com (Kristian) — Mon, 02 Oct 2017 13:30:00 +0000

Jump in a pile of leaves

Find a kickstarter project to help fund

Peek into someone else's life by reading a famous diarist

Get lost in a corn maze

Pick a pumpkin from a pumpkin patch

Stock your car with winter supplies

Do an electronic detox

Book a stay at a bed and breakfast for the weekend

Hold someone's hand while braving a haunted house

Partake in October-fest food and drink

September 2017 in Review

noreply@blogger.com (Kristian) — Fri, 29 Sep 2017 13:30:00 +0000

This month Around the Internet

Priya rocks white after Labor day.

Getty's changing images of women- and why it matters. (NYT)

For all you parents out there- Rapper Ludaris and Llama, Llama Red Pajama

Stranger than Fiction (A real life love story!) NYT

A taxonomy report of a child's imagination.

Powerful Art can change the world. In that vein- A Mexican Child Over the Border Wall (NYT)

This month seems full of important conversations about race, so here are:

About White Privilege (an especially good read for anyone who doesn't know what that is)

A black daughter of the Confederacy and the statutes of General Lee

Maps of a Nation of Immigrants

This Month Around Never Fully Dressed

This month, I shared new updates to regular columns: Reading Matilda for The Dog-Eared Page; Swashbuckling with Robin Hood for our Film Flick, and baking as part of this month's Why Don't You... List. I also shared several outfits here and here. Documenting my first year of motherhood meant also sharing about our bedtime rituals and giving an 8 month update.

Past Years Around Never Fully Dressed

Two years Ago- My Letter Writing series is still one of my all-time favorites, and you can find all the posts gathered in this single place.

Three Years ago- Remember the series Cinema Style? Here's a favorite from that.

Four Years Ago- Still an all-time favorite outfit post on NFD

Five Years Ago- How to host an outdoor movie (this makes the best fall activity!)

What I Wore: As Wyoming Seasons Change

noreply@blogger.com (Kristian) — Wed, 27 Sep 2017 16:03:00 +0000

Wyoming doesn't really have seasons. It has winter (and winter. and more winter, and, oh, did I mention winter?) and a blazingly hot, short summer. The first day of spring we had snow in my backyard! Brr! So, this is my attempt to feel a bit autumnal. On the bright side, it had warmed up enough that day that the snow melted and we managed a family walk. Not sure who was more excited, the dogs or the baby (yes, despite his rather serious face here, he enjoyed it very much. He always has a serious little face.)

On a more metaphorical note, seasons of my life are also changing, and I'm still figuring out how to dress for this new season of my life as a mother and still feel like myself. Not sure if I quite nailed it here.

However, I do love this new jacket. My tweed one was well loved and well used, but this postpartum body had changed just enough that it didn't seem to sit quite right anymore. So, it went off to a new home via Poshmark, and I found this J. Crew beauty there too! The thing about blazers like this is- it doesn't matter what year they were made; they will always be in style. Everything else has been in my closet for a while now. Its nice to have workhorses that you can return to season in and season out, isn't it? Are there pieces you love wearing like that? Or, like me, have you needed to seek out some new favorites lately? Share in the comments below!

Ellis at 8 months

noreply@blogger.com (Kristian) — Mon, 25 Sep 2017 13:30:00 +0000

TEMPERAMENT

He becomes more and more a little person everyday. Like all people, he has his moods and his up and downs. However, on the whole, I can say that he is someone who is curious and loves to explore the world. He has a sense of humor, and is ready to enjoy the world. However, he does feel his emotions intensely. Hangry Ellis is definitely a thing! And he's he'll be waving his arms, chattering one moment, and have his head down on his highchair the next, tired as can be. It's in turns funny, endearing and a bit baffling because there is little warning as he goes from one emotion to the next. Additionally, this month he has been more clingy with this mama. We think it was due to teething; that phase seems to have passed, thank goodness!

MILESTONES

We are trying to sprout some teeth over here! Emphasis on the trying part. We've yet to see teeth, but the pain has definitely been making itself known. You can see at least some of the teeth clearly under the gums, which is why we are sure it is teething and not something else. However, after a two week watch for them, still no little teeth. All gum.

Ellis is now able to roll over from belly to back pretty much anytime he wants to. He's rolled back to belly too, but I've yet to see it. Once he did it while his grandparents babysat and once at night in his crib. Here's to seeing that ability solidify because that was a starling position to find him in- just a bit!

LIKES

Our little man still loves his puppies, his stuffed animals, and holds a special place in his heart for his grandpa (and consequently, because of this, he has an especial interest in older men, especially ones with beards like his grandpa!) If he could be upside down all the time, he would; as it is, he loves when his daddy will hold him upside down by his legs. Being tossed by daddy or balanced on one hand by daddy or held up high by daddy- those are all pretty good too. For games, he still loves bouncing in his exersaucers, but he also enjoys taking this apart or taking things out of other things. Toys like stacking blockings are great fun.

He also continues to love music and reading. Current favorite songs include: Despacito- he adores the guitar at the beginning- and Smash Mouth's Walking on the Sun-once again, for the instrumental opening. And, just so you don't think we only play music we like, Ellis is also partial to Raffi's "Baby Baluga." His need to read is also growing. If we are sitting anywhere near a boad book, he's reaching for it. He's no longer trying to chew them much either. He loves to look at the pictures, and the words. He also has very definite favorites and even more obviously books he doesn't enjoy (he will start reaching for other books if I try to read a non-favored book). His current favorite book is a Babylit book version of The Jungle Book.

Also- his latest favorite joke is when anyone says "A-choo!" Just sit with that lil' bit of cuteness for a moment and let it really sink in. <3

EATING

Ellis went through a phase (coinciding with his clingy phase) of not being terribly interested in solid foods. I basically had to give him a second spoon to occupy his attention and then try to get in a bite or three. So we haven't progressed on a whole lot of different food types. However, he has tried some meat, and some mixed baby purees (banana/mango/carrot, if you're curious). He's also had some finger foods. We give him these rice rusk "cookies" that he can gum. He basically uses them like a teething toy and positions them to help the aching. He's also gummed some bread too.

In terms of bottles, he upped his intact, going from 6 oz. a bottle to 8 oz. per bottle! Whew- Building some strong bones there.

SLEEP

We seem to vacillate between sleeping through the night (12 hours!) or waking 3 or more times a night. There is no in between. We've been blaming this on teething, but who knows? For naps, he's pretty solidly 2 naps a day now starting a nap at about nine in the morning and napping again about one-ish in the afternoon. These naps typically each last from one to two hours.

MAMA

Got herself some friends! Well- kind of. It seems rather obvious in retrospect, but one of the things that most surprised me about staying at home, was my social ties changed. Previous to this, most of the people I was friends with worked in the school system with me. For obvious reasons, I know see them a lot less. My own parents moved to town this year, in order to be closer to grandkids, so I see quite a lot of them. However, friends in similar situations to my own have been thin on ground- until this month, anyway. I joined the local moms' group, called MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers). I'll let you know how things go this year with this!

3 Ways: Flare Jeans

noreply@blogger.com (Kristian) — Wed, 20 Sep 2017 13:30:00 +0000

This series goal? Exactly what it says on the box- share how to style an item three different ways. See last month's inaugural post here.) Are Flare Jeans even still in? With raw hems, culottes, boyfriend jeans and mom jeans (which I am still not sure what these are. Besides, you know, jeans a mom wears.), maybe Flared Jeans moment in the sun has come and gone? I don't care, they seem cool- on other people. This month was all about trying to see if they could be cool on me.
A black shirt tucked into a high waist- simple enough. In fact, perhaps even too simple, were it not for two things. The simplicity allows the jean shape to really stand out, emphasizing an elongated leg length. I added a red purse to lend a punch of color, and this outfit took me to museum exploring. We toured a temporary exhibit of Western Art that will be auctioned off at the end of the week; there are some amazing contemporary artists out there!

I always love wearing this belt and this necklace together. They were both my grandmother's originally. I can imagine her smartly pairing the two gold items (though probably never with flared jeans as I am doing. She was very shocked by the Beatles' long hair. I can't imagine her jeans let alone flared ones- like hippies wore!). A floral top and heeled wedges continue to add to the more ladylike vibes here.

Once again I'm emphasizing the high waist of these jeans, this time with a cropped sweater. The outfit looks finished enough on its own, but it was cold (Fall is cruel lie in Wyoming. It was over eighty one day and then predictions of snow the next.), so I added a blanket scarf. My sister and I took Ellis out to the cutest little bistro! Its funny, but as a stay-at-home mom now, I feel like I'm having to rediscover my hometown all over again. What places are open for lunch? What places are child friendly? Where will the new favorite haunts be (besides Ellis' nursery, obviously)?

You can see other ways Flare Jeans have been styled on Never Fully Dressed (Without a Style) here and here. Will you be rocking the flares this fall? What styling tips do you have for them- share in the comments below!

Motherhood: Bedtime Rituals

noreply@blogger.com (Kristian) — Mon, 18 Sep 2017 13:30:00 +0000

Sleep, sleep, sleep! That's all baby books ever seem to talk about- a point which annoyed me in my ninth month when I realized we were having a baby and I was actually expected to, you know, take care of it! I thought, sure, that's important, but not all babies do, right?

Wrong.

Let me say that again, louder for those in the back. Wrong. All babies do is sleep (or, if your baby is like ours was, all babies do is refuse to sleep even when they desperately need it). Read the books about baby's sleeping.

One of the number one tips we read- and have implemented- is having a bedtime ritual. Ellis' bedtimes, while occasionally stressful if he is overtired, have mostly become a favorite time of day for me- and not just because I can go to sleep afterwards too. No, these are sweet memories, and while the rituals may change, I wanted to document what it is now, for prosperity.

We start this process about a half hour before bedtime (which is typically 7:00 pm, but, if he managed a late afternoon nap, might be 7:30). The white noise is turned on. I put on the same two songs as we get him into his pajamas. We'll listen to the Beatles' "I Will" followed by "God Only Knows" by the Beach Boys. As he gets changed, he typically gets lotion and a baby massage. I make silly noises as he gets massaged. I wasn't sure if he actually liked it or cared till one night we tried skipping this step and he got cranky till we did it! The next step is saying good night and drawing the curtains closed. I'll carry him around the room and say goodnight to all the different objects that are there, including the mache paper moon. We also say goodnight to "his" puppies and to daddy last of all.

We'll read books next, always ending with (you guessed it!) Goodnight Moon. Its funny, I never liked this book much before and found it odd how lauded it was. But now that saying goodnight to everything is part of Ellis' routine, I absolutely adore the book (heck, I even read a biography of the author). Life's a funny, old thing that way, isn't it?

Lastly, we'll make him a bottle, and I'll sing and rock him as he eats. I know people feel very strongly about having a baby eat too close to when he needs to sleep (or when he nurses to sleep). But I don't think he will connect eating to sleep; he's happy to eat at all sorts of different times.

Film Flick: Robin Hood

noreply@blogger.com (Kristian) — Fri, 15 Sep 2017 13:30:00 +0000

Sometimes thought of as the first epic adventure story put to film, Robin Hood holds a special place in many filmmakers; and film lovers' hearts. Of course, that isn't entirely accurate; the 1938 film, in fact, is a remake of the earlier silent movie of the same name that starred Douglas Fairbanks Sr. Still, there is something unique about the Errol Flynn film, and the place it holds in cinema history.

The familiar tale of Robin Hood is played out here, without irony or pretense. Robin Hood (Errol Flynn) is a hero of the Saxon people against their Norman oppressors. In this iteration of the tale, the common folk are not just overtaxed and starving, they are outright beaten and killed at a startlingly high rate. The tale goes through all the familiar beats of the Robin Hood myth: from a gathering of his Merry Men (Alan Hale, who had played Little John in the Fairbanks production also played him here ,and in a 1950 remake as well!), to his outrageous confrontations with Sir Guy and Prince John (excellently portrayed by Basil Rathbone and Claude Raines respectively) to his love of the Maid Marian(Olivia de Havilland).

It is obvious that this was a film that inspired many filmmakers-to-come, including the legendary Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. Despite this- or perhaps because of this- to the modern viewer, the film could cross from the familiar to the boring. Combined with the movie's garishly bright colors and obviously not historically accurate costumes and set, and this film could be in danger of being disregarded. But if we can get past the modern expectations of needing grit and anti-heroes in our stories, then we can truly apperciate this film for what it is. As Roger Ebert's once wrote, "In these cynical days when swashbucklers cannot be presented without an ironic subtext, this great 1938 film exists in an eternal summer of bravery and romance. "

Made in 1938, it was Warner Brothers' first foray into the world of technicolor- in fact, all eleven technicolor cameras that were in existence were daily checked out and checked back in to create this film. It was also the studio's most expensive film up to that year, though it would be their biggest money maker of 1939 too. Everything about the film seemed bigger than life. It employed more stuntmen than any other film ever made to that date (stuntmen were paid a hundred and fifty dollars per live arrow shot into them!) The technicolor was put to good use with costumes that literally sparkled thanks to gems sewn into them, and plants native to Britain were even brought in to make the California backdrop feel more authentically like Sherwood Forest. Perhaps the most Larger Than Life thing about the film though was its swashbuckling hero.
Errol Flynn had several credits to his name before this- including a starring role- but this was the film that catapulted him into the Hollywood heavens as an action star. Despite the bevy of stuntmen employed, Flynn actually did many of stunts himself, including scaling castle gates and swordplay! He even looks exactly like Robin Hood from the pages of Howard Pyle's book The Adventure of Robin Hood, thanks to Flynn's insistence that Robin Hood sport a certain haircut. Supposedly, Errol Flynn may even have been distantly related to the real Robin Hood. Certainly, Flynn's acting brings a certain Puckish quality that is at times attractive and infuriating- a dichotomy of emotions that Flynn himself seemed to have in those he worked with! He and director Michael Curtiz clashes over a variety of issues including how the horses on set were treated (Flynn felt the director was indifferent to their injuries) and Curtiz preference that swords be live steel, without any protection. Likely also influencing things was the fact that Flynn was married to Curtiz' ex-wife, and Flynn's lazy approach to the filming schedule and learning lines.

Flynn was remembered more fondly by his co-star, Olivia De Havilland, whom he would share a total of nine film credits with over the years, though she was not without her frustrations with him. De Havilland was almost not in the film, as early scripts removed Maid Marian from the narrative completely. Lucky for us- and the film in general- that she is there. The woman is so beautiful and expressive one could almost just stop the movie and stare at her face, but her real drawing power is her ability to convey delicate emotions, an acting style that seems ahead of its time, frankly. Also, Flynn and De Havilland share a chemistry that you can help but fall in love with- and that tension spilled over into real life too. Flynn was interested in De Havilland, but she found out that his marriage was still very much alive, not on the rocks as he had imitated to her. She had her revenge by making their single love scene (an understated and innocent scene that was also the only one in which you could see De Havilland's hair) rather uncomfortable for him- ahem- south of the equator! Still, through flirtations and pranks they remained friends and the possibility of something more lingered, but never came to fruition. Looking back on things, Dehavilland later said, "Of course, we did have a life together...as Maid Marian and Robin Hood...and those were happy lives and perhaps that was enough."

Watch Robin Hood yourself and you'll see it was enough- and more than enough- in that summer of sunshine, bravery and eternal romance that will awaken the adventurous child in us all.

What I Wore: To Get Away From It All

noreply@blogger.com (Kristian) — Wed, 13 Sep 2017 13:30:00 +0000

There are things you hated as a kid that are wonderful as an adult. In this case- birthdays over holidays. As a kid, no one was ever around for a birthday party (inser the "wah-wah" noise from those Charlie Brown cartoons), but as an adult, you can get away for a little birthday celebration! Such was the case this past Labor Day weekend! My husband surprised with a trip! Hooray- right?

Oh. Wait. We have a seven month old who's never travelled overnight (bring back that wah-wah noise!)

Our trip was actually really lovely. We didn't go far- only to a town that normally would be a day trip. To make it more special (and save the ears of any fellow travelers should someone get fussy), we booked an Airbnb on the notion that being further away from neighbors would help. The place was an enchanting little cottage nestled away in the hills, with greenery I didn't think existed in Eastern Montana. We ate out at a restaurant, walked about an event downtown and our little man was loving it.

He has been loving new things, but this turned out to be a double edged sword. Because what else was new? Oh, the travel crib. And the room he was supposed to sleep in. And the whole idea of sleeping somewhere else. It wasn't that he was ill behaved (Well, I don't think babies this young can really be blamed for their actions, but y'know- behaving in ways we would prefer he didn't). He just- Wouldn't. Sleep.

At all.

We came home that night, in the end. Ah, well. Lesson learned there. We will stick to daytrips for know and work on overnight trips in more manageable steps. And, hey, at least I got to wear clothes I loved to eat out with my two favorite men. That's the real gift, right?

P.S. Other ways I've worn this skirt here, and here.

P.P.S. Here's a birthday gift: share a parenting fail you lived and learned from down in the comments. We can always laugh at things afterwards. Can I get an amen?

Dogeared Page: Matilda

noreply@blogger.com (Kristian) — Fri, 08 Sep 2017 13:30:00 +0000

If I were a teacher, I would cook up some real scorchers for the children of doting parents. "Your son Maximilian," I would write, "is a total wash-out. I hope you have a family business you can push him into when he leaves school because he sure as heck won't get a job elsewhere!" or if I were feeling lyrical that day, I might write, "It is a curious truth that grasshoppers have their hearing-organs in the sides of their abdomen. Your daughter Vanessa, judging by what she's learnt this term, has no hearing organs at all."

- Matilda by Roald Dahl

Fall Wishlist

noreply@blogger.com (Kristian) — Wed, 06 Sep 2017 16:33:00 +0000

With fall leaves comes fall fashions and... wait. What? Yeah.... my fall wishlist, y'all, parts one and two. Part one has items that need replaced. As I am finding my style, there are pieces I reach for again and again. Yay! But eventually, they can wear out. Boo- so they need replaced. Add to that the fact that I, y'know, pushed out a small human and, well, my body has changed somewhat, in ways you don't even really think about till trying to dress yourself as a new mama. I'm curvier and my actual rib cage expanded (Here's a TIL for you all: all your organs get pushed up to the rib cage for several months of pregnancy).

1. Tweed Blazer- I had one from H&M for years and it was still in beautiful shape, but post-baby, that shape was not, um, my shape (hello, curvier body). So, it got sold on Poshmark, and is now being loved by a new owner. I however, am not ready to give up the tweed look, so a replacement it is!

2. White Button Down- I'm soooo curious to try out Elizabeth & Clarke's unstainable version of this. Have you tried them out?

3. Black Pants- I wore black pants at least once a week when working. Now that I'm no longer going into work, I suppose they aren't necessary, but even if I'm just chillaxing (is that word dating myself? Oh, well!) at home with Ellis, they can still form the base of a great outfit!

4. Red Shoes- I try to have a pair of red shoes all the time because they make me feel like I'm Dorothy. Or in Paris. Either way, it's a good feeling :)

5. Grey Jeans- I had a pair in my maternity capsule and need new ones since now that I am no longer sporting a bump. The denim makes it versatile but the grey is a nice surprise of a color that still goes with everything (especially in the fall and winter!)

6. Glasses- I've had my glasses for longer than I've been married. They feel pretty iconic to my style (they were even part of my logo before the blog re-design!) But the wear and tear is undeniable. Feel free to send me links to pretty glasses frames, y'all.

7. Minnetonka Moccasins- I wore these almost everyday this summer, but they are great fall and spring shoes too! This current pair I've had for a few years, so the fact they are coming apart at the seams isn't too surprising. Also, unsurprising? That a new pair of the same version of these need to get into my closet ASAP.

Part two of this list are items I don't have but that I need (or want, I'll be honest) in my wardrobe.

1. Fox Terrier Print Pull-Over- This one is a total want, not need, but- FOX TERRIERS. I own a fox terrier, and feel this should be explanation enough. But even if you aren't a total dog lover, how can any resist the cute print and rich burgundy color?

2. Jean Jacket- I have winter coats, and I have three-sizes-too-big windbreaker coats, but not really very fashionable lighter weather coats. A Jean Jacket would fill that need and its casual tone is great for my everyday life.

3. Pleated Skirt- A tip to gather a sense of what you like, sartorially, is to have a Pinterest board where you pin outfits you like. Its how I first started to consolidate my style years ago. When looking over mine recently, I noticed a pattern- pleated skirts kept getting pinned. This gold baby is actually already mine- I got it as my first purchase via Poshmark. They have several other really cute pleated skirts there too.

4. Embroidered Smoking Slipper- Embroidery has been a big trend this summer, and it still going strong heading into fall. But I hadn't really fallen for any of it till this. Is it the most practical shoe ever? Well.... it's not impractical, precisely. Right? Right? And anyway, it is pretty and at forty-five dollars is not bad for a shoe.

5. Kate Spade Bag- I've used clutches the past few years, when I've needed a purse, but you know what they say, first comes love, then marriage and then.... a baby carriage. And all of baby's things that need hauling around. (And a baby, of course.) Ellis has a diaper bag, of course, but sometimes that's huge to haul around, so a purse is nice. Since a nice purse is a.... pricer purchase, and something ath will get used everyday, I've been putting some research into it. Keep your eyes peeled for more on that soon.

6. Dress-Thanks for Nicole's Feel Good; Dress Better, I've did a closet clean out and noticed that I don't really have much in the way of dresses; I've preferred skirts. But there is something very nice about just throwing on a skirt and being done with an entire outfit. This dress is a bit of a different silhouette than I usually go for, but have been wanting to experiment a bit. What do you think?

In September, Why Don't You...

noreply@blogger.com (Kristian) — Fri, 01 Sep 2017 13:30:00 +0000

Bake your own bread

Find adventure with the latest National Geographic

Challenge yourself to drink 8 glasses of water a day

Take your mother-in-law out to tea

Clean out the linen closet

Get a manicure and pedicure

Watch an old movie on a big screen (Here are some recommendations)

Vacuum out your car

Make your own baby food

Buy new shoes

Month in Review: August 2017

noreply@blogger.com (Kristian) — Wed, 30 Aug 2017 13:30:00 +0000

Summer Outfits

Oyster Sweater | Gingham Shirt

I finally started part with two regular outfit posts this month! Plus, a new series debuted called, 3 Ways, where each month, I'll share three ways I styled the same item. Think of it a bit like those old school posts on remixes, but with a bit more intention to it.

P.S. Anyone else miss seeing other bloggers' remix posts? Here's some of mine.

3 Ways to Style a Red Novelty Skirt

Summer Plans
This month Ellis turned 7 months, which is a delightful age! More experienced mothers tell me its the sweet spot; they can talk and jabber and laugh, but aren't mobile yet, so can't get into trouble. It was also a good month to try out many of the things on this month's Why Don't You list. We had oodles of visitors for the eclipse (Wyoming was in the Path of Totality! Were you? ) and, you could catch up with the rest of life in this post. We tackled the classics with a Sound of Music film review, and The Three Musketeers for this month's Dog Eared Page.

For more serious reading, why don't you walk in someone else's shoes, and read these two posts(here and here) by a guest writer? They chronicle her experiences as an egg donor for people trying to become pregnant. Fascinating!

Summer Finds

A woman explains the Google Manifesto

An interesting safety tip that is unexpectedly (sadly) relevant

Would you use this to help your clothing budget? (Also- have you tried shopping/selling on Poshmark yet?)

I love How I built this- and these three women are my favorite interviews. Hear from the creator of Spanx (the richest woman in the world!!!); Kate Spade of Kate Spade, and the woman who created Rent the Runway. Yes, all are about fashion, but really are about women in entrepreneurship and overcoming.

Made me laugh!

Austen fans:Is Mrs. Bennett the author's most subversive character? + Don't you want this board game? I do!

Would you buy oysters from a vending machine?

The evolution of color names

Melinda Gates on parenting and screens. Thought-provoking. Plus, The American Academy of Pediatrics has tools to help you build a family media plan. Who knew?!

Take better care of your clothes with these tips